Swivel joint for walking dolls



June 22- 1926.

o. GANS SWIVEL JOINT FOR WALKING DOLLS Filed ua zv, 1924 INVENTOR.

A TTO/TNE).

Patented June 22, 1926.

UNITED STATES OTTO GANS, OF WALTERSHAU SEN, GERMANY.

SWIVEL JOINT FOR WALKING DOLLS.

Application filed May 27,

The walking dolls of known construction require the provision of two independent joints, preferably swivel-joints, one for the motion of theilimbs, and one for permitting the movements of these limbs when the doll is assuming a sitting posture, and the latter joint is usually connected to an intermediary member on the outside of the doll body.

It was therefore heretofore not possible to construct large dolls,'so-called baby-dolls with walking mechanism in the absence of a suitable swivel-joint within the doll allowing a holding of the limbs in any position when the doll. assumes a sitting posture.

It is the principal object of the invention to provide a walking doll or the like with a swlvel-joint of novel construction arranged within the dolls body, which permits a 1110* tion in two directions.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a suitable swivel-joint for walking dolls permitting the doll to walk, and at the same time providing means for allowing the limbs to assume the proper positionlor' the thigh when the doll is in sitting posture.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a swivel-joint of this novel construction for permitting the proper adjustment and holding of the dolls limbs to suit any position of the limbs in the sitting posture of the doll.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will become more fully known as the description thereof proceeds, and will then be specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a material part of this disclosure:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view of a dolls body, partly in section and its thigh provided with a swivel-joint constructed according to my invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view .of a dolls body and limbs, partly in vertical section, provided with a modified form of joint ac cording to my invention.

As shown in Figure 1, the lower part of a dolls body is provided with ball sockets 11 for the reception of the balls 12 formed with the upper end of the limbs 13. Slots 14f are located in the body part through which the connecting rods 15 for the moving mechanism of the limbs are passed.

As shown in Figure 2, the ball joint is replaced by sockets or pans 16 in which balls 17 at the upper ends of thelimbs can move.

1924. Serial No. 716,142.

nected thereto at their lower ends plates 19 resting against or engaging similar plates 20 on the rods 15 for the limbs, and the plates 19 and 20 are rotatably connected either by a shaft 21 (Fig. 1)--, or by means of a pin 22 shown in Figure 2. 1 Y

The necessary frictional tension is provided by means of a curved leaf spring 23, the upper end of which is secured to a membcr 24 of the body.

In order to provide for a proper holding of the limbs if the doll assumes a sitting posture, in any of their positions, the swiveljoint is also constructed in form of a supporting jointor snap-lock, and with this end in view, the plate 20 is equipped at its inner face with uniformly distributed spaced pins or studs 25 adapted to snap into en-- gagement with suitable sockets 26 in the plate 19 when the limb is twisted or moved to turn. During the walking motion of the doll, the operating rods 18 and the rods 15 are in alignment.

The shaft 21, as shown by the broken lines in Figure 1, is loosely guided through suitable bores in plates 19, 20 and spring 23, and the outward movements of plates and spring are limited by sleeves 27 and 28 through which the shaft 21 extends.

As shown in Figure 2, by broken lines, the pins 22 pass loosely through suitable bores in plates 19, 20 and springs 23, and the pins 22 carry heads 29 in rear of springs 23 and nuts 30 in frontthereof, so that plates 19' and 20 can readily be separated by the removal of nuts 30 so that studs 25 may be disengaged from sockets 26.

It will be clear that changes may be'made in the construction of the minor details of my invention such as fall within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention, and the novel joint may just as well be employed for the moving mechanism of the dolls arms etc.

It will be clear that by my novel arrangement and construction the usual openings heretofore required in the limbs and body for the permission of the limb motion may be dispensed with, as the joints are located Within the body of the doll and the limbs are directly engaged with the doll body.

The operation of my device will be fully apparent from the above detailed description thereof and it will therefore be unnecessary to describe the same specifically.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a Walking-doll having movable limbs, the combination of its walking mechanism with a swivel-joint comprising an operating rodqadapted to be attached to the mechanism for imparting to the dolls limbs aiwalking motion, a plate at the lower end of said rod provided with spaced sockets, a bar attached to the dolls limbs, a plate on said bar, pins or studs on said last named plate adapted to snap into the sockets in said first named plate, a curved leaf spring for holding said studs in frictional engagement within said sockets, a shaft extending through said plates and spring, and means for limiting the outward movements of said plates and spring.

In a walking doll having movable limbs, the combination of itswalking mechanism with a swivel-joint comprising two plates, one attached to the walking mechanism of the doll and provided with a plurality of spaced and uniformly distributed sockets, an operating rod for the dolls limbs, the other of said plates attached to said operating rod, a plurality of uniformly distributed and spaced pins or studs on said last named plate adapted to engage and to be frictionally held in the sockets of said first named plate, a loop spring attached at its upper end to the dolls body, and with its lower ends engaging the inner of said plates for holding said studs in their sockets, and pins guided through said plates and the springs having heads at one of their ends, and nuts at their opposite ends for holding the parts together but allowing a swivelling motion. v

Signed at Valtershausen in the State ol 'llliuringiaand Republic of Germany.

OTTO GANS. 

